This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
There are numerous patents in the records that deal with various hurricane or tornado storm wind forces by claiming use of any one of several strengthening components. The prior examples do not lend themselves to our do-it-yourself culture and do not lend themselves to be cost effective for the mass consumption public at large.
There are also some references to prior claims related to improved structures that minimize water influent damage, but again, none of these prior examples lend themselves to our do-it-yourself culture and do not lend themselves to be cost effective for the mass consumption public at large.
There are a numerous patents in the records that deal with the orientation of anchor bolts and various devices designed to position the anchor bolts in concrete slurry. Most of the art patents relate to a template design and method wherein a device is secured to the frame work forms which the concrete slurry will be poured into. The template is fastened to the forms and extends out over the open space the concrete will be poured into whereupon an anchor bolt is affixed thereon and suspended in the open space positioned such that slurry can be poured around it.
Examples of template designs and methods in the art can be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,448,172; 7,445,192; 6,065,730; 5,836,132; 5,388,804; 5,240,224; 5,060,436; 7,891,110; 4,872,298; 7,103,984; and 6,922,968. These art examples and others like them must be secured to the concrete forms prior to pouring the concrete slurry. As a result they are generally bulky and awkward to use. Furthermore, template style devices do not provide a practical method of orienting and/or positioning an anchor bolt anywhere in the concrete slurry except very close and adjacent to the forms built to retain and confine the slurry.
Furthermore, it is well known by those in the concrete pouring industry that the concrete slurry possesses an inherent force that is imparted upon any and all objects the slurry flow comes in contact with. For example, all of the steel reinforced rebar and suspended anchor bolts and plumbing pipes set in the flow path of the concrete slurry are subjected to the lateral forces imparted upon them by the concrete slurry, often causing the objects to move, break, and/or end up in a different position and/or orientation after the concrete cures and hardens. It therefore becomes a difficult and time consuming and aggravating issue for the contractor to make sure that all of the objects in the concrete slurry maintain their proper position and orientation during and after the pour of the slurry.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,317,850 discloses and claims a special bent anchor bolt designed to position itself in cooperation with reinforced rebar positioned in the open space wherein concrete slurry will be poured. This patent is also subjected to the flow forces that concrete slurry impose upon objects in the open space. This patent also requires a special shaped anchor bolt and does not provide any provisions for using a typical anchor bolt structure. Furthermore, this special bent anchor bolt device does not provide a practical method of orienting and/or positioning an anchor bolt anywhere in the concrete slurry except very close and adjacent to the forms built to retain and confine the slurry.
Another U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,364 discloses and claims a holder for an anchor bolt that is positioned and/or fastened to the floor of the open space the concrete slurry will poured into. The holder supports and holds the anchor bolt in the open space. This patent is also subjected to the flow forces that concrete slurry impose upon objects in the open space.
Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,916 discloses and claims a protective cover assembled over a typical anchor bolt that is designed to cover and protect all the exposed threads of the anchor bolt as it protrudes out of the poured concrete. This patent teaches that the device is set into the slurry after it is poured. Legs are provided to secure a portion of the assembly to the concrete while the protective cover can be removed by the contractor to reveal the threads when time comes to attach a wall construction to the anchor bolts. While these devices may not be subjected to the flow forces inherent in concrete slurry, it is incumbent upon the contractor to remove a protective cover in order to expose the threads and attach a wall construction to the protruding anchor bolts. The difficulty and inconvenience of separating the protective cover portion of the device from the secured legs portion of the device provides an unnecessary effort and source of aggravation and excess time to the contractor.
Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 7,174,689 discloses and claims a protective cover assembled over a typical anchor bolt that is designed to cover and protect all the exposed threads of the anchor bolt as it protrudes out of the poured concrete. The protective cover is designed to set on a base plate template holding the anchor bolt. The protective cover is removed prior to installing a wall construction over the protruding anchor bolt. The base plate template remains in place in the concrete slurry. The assembly is set into the slurry after it is poured. While this device may not be subjected to the flow forces inherent in concrete slurry, it is incumbent upon the contractor to remove a protective cover in order to expose the threads and attach a wall construction to the protruding anchor bolts. The difficulty and inconvenience of separating the protective cover portion of the device from the embedded portion of the device provides an unnecessary effort and source of aggravation and excess time to the contractor.